Folding umbrella.



W. A. LITTLE; I FOLDING UMBRELLA. APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 12, 1912.

Patented Oct. 1, 1912.

WED STATES WILLIAM a'nrr'rnn, or cnnsson, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

mea re.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1,1fl12.

Application filed February 12, 1912. Serial No. 677,019.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. LITTLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cresson, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 7

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in umbrellas of the folding type and the invention has for its primary object a simple, strong and efficient construction of folding umbrella einbodying foldablo bows or ribs and a foldable rod or stick, the parts being so arranged that they will be held securely in extended relation to each other without any liability of folding accidentally, while atthe same time the construction is such that by a simple movement of the runner in one direction, the hinged joints of the rod and of all of the ribs will be exposed and placed in position for the subsequent folding of the parts.

The invention also has for its object an improved construction of folding umbrella, the parts of which are so formed and arranged that they will bewell able to-withstand the torsional strains and other strains to which devices of this character are subjected in use, as a result of sudden gusts of wind, the parts being capable of being cheaply manufactured, being few in number and without anycomplicated connections. And the inventionalso aims to generally improve this class 'of devices and to render them more useful and commercially desirable.

With these and other objects in view, as

will more fully appear. as .the description proceeds, the invention consists in certainconstruction, arrangements andv 'combina-- tions of the parts .that I- shall hereinafter" fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding ofthe invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing in which c t- Figure 1 1s a view of a portion of an umbrella frame embodying the improvements of my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of practically the same parts with the umbrella in closed condition. Fig. 3 is a view with the parts folded. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the joint between the two sections of a rib. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 55, of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 butwith the parts in different relative positions and, Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section ofthe rod or stick of the umbrella.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to inthe following description and designated in the accompanying drawing by like. reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, A designates the rod or stick of my improved folding umbrella, B the bows or ribs thereof, 0 the stretchers, and D the sleeve or runner. The upper or inner ends of the ribs B are pivotally connected in the usual manner to the crown ring 6 and the inner ends of the stretchers C are pivotally connected in the usual manner to the apertured ears formed on the upper endof the runner D.

In carrying out my invention, each of the ribs B is constructed in preferably coextensive sections 1 and 2 hingedly connected together at their adjoining ends, as indicated at3, A sleeve 4 encircles the rib and is mounted for a thereon, whereby when the sleeve overlaps the joint between the two sections 1 and 2, the ribs will be held as against any folding movement of the sections, while when the sleeve is s ipped upwardly on the section 1 a distance sufiicient to -expose the joint"3,

,the lower section 2 may easily be folded outwardly and upwardly upon 1, as bestillustrated inFig.

The sleeve 4 is pivotally connected, as at 5, to the outer end of a stretcher C, it being particularly noted that the upper section 1 of a rib is slightly longer than" the stretcher 0, whereby an upward movement of the the section runner on therodwill. result in sliding the sleeves eof-fall of the ribs simultaneously upward thereon to expose the joints and to permit the ribs to be folded. To those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, it will be obvious that it is a desideratum to prevent this sliding move ment of the sleeves 4 when the arts are in the closed position illustrated in Fig. 2 and Iityis :merely. desired to open' the unibrella, for otherwise, the joints of the ribs would be exposed when this is not required sliding movement or intended. Hence, it is one of the objects of my invention to provide means for automatically locking the sleeves in their operaupper section 1 near the lower end of the latter. Thus it will be understood that so long as the parts are in the relative position illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, orif desired, only in the positions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6, any tendency of the stretchers C to slide the sleeves 4 upwardly on the sections 1 by an upward sliding movement of the runner D to open the umbrella will be effectually resisted and overcome by the locking engagement of the lugs 6 with the pins 8; but when the runner D is moved to a position where the ribs are fully opened the lugs 6 will have been turned out of engagement with the pins 8 and consequently, the further movement of the runner D in an upper.

direction will result, the sleeves having thus been unlocked in theupwardly slidingmovement ofthe sleeves to expose the joints 3 and to permit the ribs to be folded. Preferably, in order to prevent the sleeves 4 from turning axially on the ribs, which would tend to strain the joints 5, each sleeve is formed at one end with an inwardly projecting preferably integral tongue 9 projecting into the channel of the rib section.

In order to properly guide the runner D on the rod A and to securely hold it at the upper and lower limits of its movement, I preferably provide the rod A with a longitudinally extending groove 10 and form the runner with an inwardly turned lip 11 received insaid groove, so as to prevent the runner from turning on the'rod or stick. The metal of which the runner is formed is turned outwardly where the slits are made to form the lip 11 to form bearing cars 12 in which a pintle rod 13 is mounted. A latch 14 is mounted between said ears on said rod and is formed with an angularly disposed end 15 adapted to ride in the groove 10 and to be seated in sockets 16 formed in the hot- 1" tom of the groove at the upper and lower ends thereof. By this means, the runner will be held seen-rely at either limit of its movement. A spring 17 extends around the pintle l3 and bears against the rear or handle end of the latch. By pressing inwardly on the rear end of the latch, it may be disengaged from the sockets 1G and the runner will then be free to be moved upwardly or clown:-.

wardly on .he rod A, as required. It is also to be noted that the rod or stick A. of my improved folding umbrella is constructed in upper and lower sections, designated 18 and 19, respectively, and pivotally connected together'by a butt joint 20. The two sections are held in alinement with each other by means of a spring catch 21 carried by one end of the runner overlaps the joint between the sections 18 and 19 when the umbrella is open, thereby securely preventing any hinged movement between the sections. In the closed position of the umbrella the runner Dpreferably extends down into the handle 22, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing description in connection'with the accompanying drawing, the operation of my improved folding umbrella will be apparent.

In the practical use of the device, when the umbrella is desired for service, the parts are in the relative positions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. When it is desired to open the umbrella, the runner is grasped in the usual manner and moved upwardly on the rod A until the parts assume the position illustrated in Fig. 1, at which time the latch 14 will enter the uppermost socket 16 and prevent any further ac idental upward movement of the runner, all accidental sliding movement of the sleeves 4 being prevented in this operation, owing to the locking engagement between the pins 8 and the hooked lug 6 of the stretchers C.

essary to release the latch 14 and to move the runner D still farther in an upward direction whereupon the stretchers C will draw,

the sleeves 4 upwardly and expose the joints 3 as well as the joint 20 being exposed by the upward movement of the runner and consequently, the rod or stick may be folded as well as the ribs B, the parts assuming the relative position illustrated in Fig. 3, and

the umbrella being their capable of being stored away in a con'iparatively small space whereby it may be conveniently carried in a hand bag or the like.

While the accompanying drawing illustrates what I believe to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited .thereto, but that various changes may be made in the construction,arrangement and 1,20

proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of'the invention, as-dctined in the appended claim.

lVhat I claim is:-

A foldable umbrella including a stick,

joints, stretchers connected to said sleeves,

When it is 100 desired to fold the umbrella, it is only nectransversely extendinglpins carried by the to engage the channels in said ribs, whereby upper sections of the rib at the lower ends axial movement of the sleeves is prevented. 10 thereof, hook shaped lugs formed on the In testimony whereofI hereunto aflix my stretchers at the 'outer ends thereof and signature in the presence of two witnesses. adapted to project through the slots in said WILLIAM A. LITTLE. sleeves and engage said pins for the purpose Witnesses: v specified andthe said sleeves being formed GEO- S. LIVINGSTON, with integrally extending tongues adapted 4 FREDERICK S.' S'rrrr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained fo r five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

